1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an architectural light and, more particularly, to an LED architectural light.
2. Description of Related Art
There are a variety of lights and lighting fixtures presently on the market. Their intended uses range from such diverse environments as indoor lighting to outdoor stadium lighting. One particular type of lighting system is intended to accent architectural details and are often call wall wash lights. Such lights attempt to illuminate all or portions of a structure (typically outside, but inside uses exist as well.)
In many instances the intended effect of the light is to combine with an architectural feature so that the combination of the light and the feature is impressive, eye-catching, or artistically attractive. The lights are typically located in such a way that their effect is seen but not their location so as to augment the aesthetics of their use. Incandescent and fluorescent lights have typically been used in these applications because they provide the necessary amounts of illumination capable of brightly lighting a large area. However, high intensity LEDs have recently become preferable to replace the incandescent or fluorescent lights because of LEDs adequate light output and lower power consumption.
However, simply replacing a conventional light bulb with an LED is not possible and current LED architectural lighting systems continue to have a number of technical challenges that must be overcome to perform technically, effectively, and efficiently. For example, while there is always some operating voltage for an LED, it is the current rather than the voltage that is proportional to the brightness attainable by the LED. Merely increasing the current to achieve brightness raises a number of issues such as overheating, reduced component lifetime, power inefficiencies, and safety. These shortcomings are important because in many instances lights of this type are placed in locations and environments where replacement or repair is impossible or prohibitively expensive (e.g., on the side of a skyscraper).
Thus, there remains a yet unfulfilled need for LED-based architectural lights that are simple to manufacture, that allow easy customization by an end-user, that provide reliable performance, and that can withstand the environment in which they are placed.